Devices, Softwares and Methods for Dynamic Bandwidth Allocation for Atm Connections

1. A device comprising: a network interface for coupling to a network; and a processor coupled with the network interface, wherein the processor is adapted to; receive first packets for asynchronous transmission to a network destination; open a first switched virtual circuit that accommodates the network destination; transmit the first packets through the first switched virtual circuit; receive second packets for asynchronous transmission to the network destination after transmitting the first packets; open a second switched virtual circuit concurrently with the first switched virtual circuit to accommodate the network destination; and transmit the second packets through both the first and the second switched virtual circuits at a same time; maintain the first and second switched virtual circuits concurrently according to a comparison of an updated rate and a minimum threshold.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further adapted to: receive third packets for asynchronous transmission to the network destination after transmitting the second packets; determine a rate of receiving the third packets; determine a bandwidth associated with the third packets from the rate of receiving the third packets; and if the bandwidth associated with the third packets is less than the minimum threshold, close one of the first and second switched virtual circuits, and then transmit the third packets through only the open one of the first and second switched virtual circuits.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further adapted to: determine a rate of receiving the second packets; and determine a bandwidth associated with the second packets from the rate of receiving the second packets, wherein the second switched virtual circuit is opened when the bandwidth associated with the second packets exceeds a threshold of the first switched virtual circuit.

4. The device of claim 3 , wherein the first switched virtual has a bandwidth associated with the first packets, and the threshold of the first switched virtual circuit is a preset fraction of the bandwidth associated with the first packets.

5. The device of claim 4 , wherein the processor is further adapted to: determine a rate of receiving the first packets; and determine the bandwidth associated with the first packets from the rate of receiving the first packets.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the first and second switched virtual circuits are administered by a lower network layer, and the first and second switched virtual circuits behave as a single pipe from a viewpoint of an upper network layer which is on top of the lower network layer.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further adapted to maintain the first and second switched virtual circuits when the updated rate is not less than the minimum threshold.

8. A device comprising: means for receiving first packets for asynchronous transmission to a network destination; means for opening a first switched virtual circuit that accommodates the network destination; means for transmitting the first packets through the first switched virtual circuit; means for receiving second packets for asynchronous transmission to the network destination after transmitting the first packets; means for determining whether a rate of receiving the second packets exceeds a maximum threshold; means for opening a second switched virtual circuit to accommodate the network destination in response to a determination that the rate of receiving the second packets exceeds a maximum threshold; and means for concurrently transmitting the second packets through both the first and the second switched virtual circuits; means for closing one of the first or second switched virtual circuits according to a comparison of an updated rate and a minimum threshold.

9. The device of claim 8 , further comprising: means for receiving third packets for asynchronous transmission to the network destination after transmitting the second packets; means for determining a rate of receiving the third packets; means for determining a bandwidth associated with the third packets from the rate of receiving the third packets; and if the bandwidth associated with the third packets is less than the minimum threshold, means for closing one of the first and second switched virtual circuits, and then transmitting the third packets through only the open one of the first and second switched virtual circuits.

10. The device of claim 8 , further comprising: means for determining a rate of receiving the second packets; and means for determining a bandwidth associated with the second packets from the rate of receiving the second packets, wherein the second switched virtual circuit is opened when the bandwidth associated with the second packets exceeds a threshold of the first virtual switched circuit.

11. The device of claim 10 , wherein the first switched virtual circuit has a bandwidth associated with the first packets and the threshold of the first virtual switch circuit is a preset fraction of the bandwidth associated with the first packets.

12. The device of claim 11 , further comprising: determining a rate of receiving the first packets; and determining the bandwidth associated with the first packets from the rate of receiving the first packets.

13. The device of claim 8 , wherein the first and second switched virtual circuits are administered by a lower network layer, and the first and second switched virtual circuits behave as a single pipe from a viewpoint of an upper network layer which is on top of the lower network layer.

14. The device of claim 8 , wherein one of the first or second switched virtual circuits are closed when the updated rate is less than the minimum threshold.

15. An article comprising: a storage medium, said storage medium having stored thereon instructions, that, when executed by at least one device, result in: receiving first packets for asynchronous transmission to a network destination; opening a first switched virtual circuit that accommodates the network destination; transmitting the first packets through the first switched virtual circuit; receiving second packets for asynchronous transmission to the network destination after transmitting the first packets; opening a second switched virtual circuit to accommodate the network destination; transmitting the second packets through both the first and the second switched virtual circuits; and maintaining the first and second switched virtual circuits according to a comparison of an updated rate and a minimum threshold; wherein the first and second virtual switched circuits remain open at a same time and a first portion of packets for a connection is transmitted through the first switched virtual circuit while a second portion of packets for the connection is transmitted through the second switched virtual circuit.

16. The article of claim 15 , wherein the instructions further result in: receiving third packets for asynchronous transmission to the network destination after transmitting the second packets; determining a rate of receiving the third packets; determining a bandwidth associated with the third packets from the rate of receiving the third packets; and if the bandwidth associated with the third packets is less than the minimum threshold of the second switched virtual circuit, closing one of the first and second switched virtual circuits, and then transmitting the third packets through only the open one of the first and second switched virtual circuits.

17. The article of claim 15 , wherein the instructions further result in: determining a rate of receiving the second packets; and determining a bandwidth associated with the second packets from the rate of receiving the second packets, wherein the second switched virtual circuit is opened when the bandwidth associated with the second packets exceeds a threshold of the first switched virtual circuit.

18. The article of claim 17 , wherein the first switched virtual circuit has a bandwidth associated with the first packets, and the threshold of the first switched virtual circuit is a preset fraction of the bandwidth associated with the first packets.

19. The article of claim 18 , wherein the instructions further result in: determining a rate of receiving the first packets; and determining the bandwidth associated with the first packets from the rate of receiving the first packets.

20. The article of claim 15 , wherein the connection is an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) connection.

21. A method comprising: receiving first packets for asynchronous transmission to a network destination; opening a first switched virtual circuit that accommodates the network destination; transmitting the first packets through the first switched virtual circuit; receiving second packets for asynchronous transmission to the network destination after transmitting the first packets; opening a second switched virtual circuit to accommodate the network destination; and transmitting the second packets through both the first and the second switched virtual circuits, closing either the first or second switched virtual circuits according to a comparison of an updated rate and a minimum threshold.

22. The method of claim 21 , further comprising: receiving third packets for asynchronous transmission to the network destination after transmitting the second packets; determining a rate of receiving the third packets; determining a bandwidth associated with the third packets from the rate of receiving the third packets; and if the bandwidth associated with the third packets is less than the minimum threshold of the second virtual switched circuits, closing one of the first and second switched virtual circuits, and then transmitting the third packets through only the open one of the first and second switched virtual circuits.

23. The method of claim 21 , further comprising: determining a rate of receiving the second packets; and determining a bandwidth associated with the second packets from the rate of receiving the second packets, wherein the second switched virtual circuit is opened when the bandwidth associated with the second packets exceeds a threshold of the first switched virtual circuit.

24. The method of claim 23 , wherein the first switched virtual circuit has a bandwidth associated with the first packets, and the threshold of the first switched virtual circuit is a preset fraction of the bandwidth associated with the first packets.

25. The method of claim 24 , further comprising: determining a rate of receiving the first packets; and determining the bandwidth associated with the first packets from the rate of receiving the first packets.

26. The method of claim 21 , wherein the closing either the first or second switched virtual circuits according to a comparison further comprises closing either the first or second switched virtual circuits when the updated rate is less than the minimum threshold.